Benedicte’s Paris Suggestions
Here are some of the things that I really enjoyed doing when I lived in Paris – and thus a list of ‘Paris suggestions’ that I usually give to my friends before they head overseas. I visited Paris over Christmas/New Years (2006-2007) and to ensure I didn’t miss an opportunity to visit a bistro/bar/club that had popped up since I left 3 years ago, purchases the Timeout guide (i.e. that What’s new & what’s hot in Paris guide). Not much had changed – however the ‘new addition’ to the tourist scene that I found really worthwhile was Musée du Quai de Branly (Musée des Premiers Arts). As a social anthropology enthusiast I found it absolutely mind blowing. Here is the website:
http://www.quaibranly.fr/index.php?id=1&L=1
Another good site that you might like to check out pre-departure is that of ParisInfo – that way you’ll know if anything spectacular is going on during your visit:
Also, once you get there (and if your French is OK) you can pick up a PARISCOPE from any newspaper stand for theatre performance, movies, restaurant info etc. It is cheap (about 40 Euro cents) and comes out every Wednesday.
Here are some other useful websites:
http://www.timeout.com/travel/features/print/264.html
http://www.ratp.fr/ (the public transport website in English – you can even download a printable map of the metro).
http://www.sncf.co.uk/ (the British version of the French national high-speed train service – TGV). You can go anywhere in France on these trains but book in advance for a cheap ticket.
If you haven’t already booked your accommodation, take a look at this website!
http://www.all-paris-apartments.com/en/all_accommodation.category_2.php
Over the holidays, I rented a studio through this site and was very impressed with how cheap and hassle free the whole process was. (You also feel very Parisian when you rent a studio rather than a hotel room). Just type in the dates and you can read all about the cheap potential rentals and the ‘arrondissements’ they are in. I think the 4th (Le Marais) and the 6th (Saint Germain des Pres) are probably the most exciting places to stay.
When you get into Paris, buy a ‘Carte Orange hebdomadaire’ which is a weekly travel card (you can also buy a daily card) for all metro lines and buses in Paris (zones 1-2), which costs about 16 euros. You can also buy a pass for the month if you are staying longer – about 56 EUROS. This is the cheapest and easiest way to travel. You’ll just need a passport-size photo and you’ll be able to hop on any bus or metro within the 20 arrondissements without ever having to buy a ticket
The metro is fantastic but if you’re staying near any of the sites listed below then the BUS 95 (in the direction of PORTE DE VANVES or MONTMARTRE) is an excellent way to travel and see a bit of Paris.
The important sites the 95 bus stops at (heading in the direction of Montmartre) are:
1 Rue de Rennes (a great shopping street – much less touristy than the Champs Elysée)
2 Saint Germain (excellent shops, cafes and bars)
3 The Louvre
4 The Opera (Café de la Paix – great for an aperitif, Galleries Lafayette, Printemps etc) and Place Vendome
5 Montmartre (the artists’ hangout)
Here are some things I never tire of visiting:
- Louvre Museum – Get off the 95 Bus at the stop called Musée du Louvre or the Metro Palais Royal Musée du Louvre. When you’re inside see the Mona Lisa, Winged Victory and the Venus de Milo – they’re all clearly marked on the map you get at the info desk. There are obviously so many things to see here… so be ruthless and spend a couple of hours, or the whole day if you have longer. Café Marly next to the glass pyramids is lovely for a tea or coffee if you don’t have too great an aversion to pigeons…
- Ile de la Cité and Ile St. Louis – this is easy to walk to from Hotel de Ville (the city hall on metro line 1). Notre Dame is always exciting to visit, but I find Ile St. Louis to be slightly more intimate with its cute shops and great ice cream at Bertillon.
- Centre Pompidou – National museum of modern art with works by Matisse, Chagall etc as well as contemporary installations (this is my favourite along with Quai de Branly). The view from the café on the top level is fabulous. The Metro stop is Hotel de Ville (line 1). While you’re in this area it’s worthwhile walking to Les Halles (the underground shopping mall).
- Les Halles Quarter – 300m from Pompidou. Apart from FNAC in the mall (which has an overwhelmingly large collection of French music, books and DVDs; as well as your regular chain stores), there is a fantastic bakery on rue St. Honoré just parallel to Rue Berger called JULIEN. (A great place to stop for lunch and very near the Louvre)! You could also walk through the park above the mall to rue Montmartre which is on your left just after the St. Eustache church. Here you’ll find my favourite women’s clothing store Claudie Pierlot and Agnes B as well as Comptoir des Cotonniers around the corner in rue du Jour. From here walk to rue Montorgeuil. This is a VERY famous walking street where everyone goes for good food! Little Italy is a great, reasonably priced Italian restaurant on this street and if you’re hanging out for some good coffee and/or brunch, Pain Quotidien is also nice. I especially like this area because it isn’t overly touristy.
- Le Champs Elysée – is great to do after the Louvre because you can walk through the Jardins des Tuileries to Place de la Concorde. Then walk straight ahead and cross the square at the Obelisk to the Champs Elysée (navigating the traffic here is pretty tricky). On the Champs Elysée you can stock up on cosmetics and perfume at SEPHORA (a very popular perfumery and the largest in size); visit Petit Bateau (the French institution for basic tees/singlets/clothes); and buy some brioche or macarrons at Ladurée. When you get to the end, climb the Arc de Triomphe – I think the view is much more exciting from here than it is from the Eiffel Tower.
- Montmartre – the Metro stop is Abbesses (line 12) or ask the driver on bus 95 where to get off. Climb the stairs to Place du Tertre (the artists’ square) and visit the Sacré Coeur church. Most of the cute cafes/wine bars and shops are around Abbesses and not the square – which boasts a lot of tacky and over-priced souvenir stores. While you’re in this area you could also walk through the red light district to the Moulin Rouge if you’re interested…
- Les Marais is wonderful – the Metro stop is St. Paul (also on line 1). Follow your map to PLACE DES VOSGES the most breathtakingly beautiful (and unquestionably chic) symmetrical square in Paris where Victor Hugo wrote Les Misérables. From here walk up RUE DES FRANCS BOURGEOIS in the opposite direction to the traffic. There are also great shops in this area:
- The Opera Quarter – Get off bus 95 at Opera or take metro line 8 to Opéra. Have a drink at Café de la Paix and be sure to visit the Opera Garnier to check out Chagall’s ceiling if you can (entry to the Opera house closes around 4pm). Not far down the road from here (opposite Printemps department store) is PAUL (a famous café/bakery that does a great hot chocolate)! If you’ve got some time to spend in this area, visit Place Vendôme (the Ritz hotel) and work your way down to Rue Castiglione/Rue St Honoré in the 1st. Here you’ll find stores like Cartier etc., and a few interesting spots like the Payot Spa, Colette (the cult boutique) and the incredibly chic HOTEL COSTES (239 rue Saint Honoré in the 8th). It is outrageously expensive (about 40 AUD for a cocktail and 20 AUD for a Pastis) but it is a venue that you will never forget – a place I would definitely recommend you visit. Gerard Depardieu and the cinema crowd are often spotted here, but the staff will welcome you in a pair of jeans and hiking boots without hesitation. Here is a review if you’re interested:
- Musée d’Orsay – the Metro stop is SOLFERINO (line 12) – you need a good few hours to see the impressionist works of Monet, Manet, Van Gough, Renoir etc – and great sculptures like Rodin’s Gates of Hell.
- Musée du Quai de Branly (must see) – Catch bus 62 from St Germain to the Pont d’Alma or the metro to Bir Hakeim (good to do at the same time as the Eiffel Tower). This is the Museum of civilization’s ‘first art’ and you need at least half a day. The restaurant and café here are also good albeit a little pricey.
- St. Germain des Pres and Montparnasse… Rue de Rennes is fantastic for shopping, eating, being Parisian and the back streets around here are well worth a stroll… Jonak is a great women’s shoe store and you’ll find ZARA, H & M, Gap etc. as well as some very cute café. Take a detour to La Grande Epicerie de Paris (next to the department store: Le Bon Marche) and la rue du Cherche Midi (in the 7th arrondissement), which has great shops (including ERES swimwear) and a sour dough bakery called Poilâne – a true Parisian institution that makes a man apple tart.
- Then… walk down rue du Cherche Midi (past Claudie Pierlot) and cross rue de Rennes to rue Saint Sulpice – for Annick Goutal perfume and chic boutiques and more cafes…
- Camper
- Sequoia
- Mille et une Nuits (arabic decorations)
- Et Vous
- Abou d’Abi BAZAR
- Bensimon (classic French style)
- L’Occitane
- Le Comptoir des Cotonniers
- Muji (Japanese store which is great for stationary etc)
- Zadig and Voltaire
(Also, there is a fantastic men’s shirt store on rue de Sevigne near Place des Vosges where every item is 30 euros)
When you get to Zadig and Voltaire at the end of rue des Francs Bourgeois, turn left and wander through the back streets to MARIAGE FRERES teahouse (if you like tea) – this is a great experience and a nice place to buy gifts . The address is 30 rue du Bourg-Tibourg, 75004. BHV next to Hotel de Ville on rue de Rivoli is a good (and relatively cheap) department store and not far from here is Curieux Spaghetti which is great for lunch – have a look at their website if you’re interested:
http://www.curieuxspag.com/4-5843-ACCUEIL.php
http://www.worldsbestbars.com/city/paris/hotel-costes-paris.htm
Rue de Rennes is a couple of km long but you could stop along the way for a coffee at Café Cassette or Le Vieux Colombier. You could also stop in at Les Deux Magots for a snack (at the intersection of Blvd St. Germain and Rue de Rennes). The tarte tatin here is delicious. At the St. Germain end of rue de Rennes check out rue du Four (where there is an excellent pharmacy selling all the famous French cosmeceuticals at EXCELLENT prices) and rue des Canettes where you’ll find the most incredible food – definitely the best pizza, and one of the best meals you’ll have in Paris – at Cafe Positano. Don’t be put off by the queue – the staff will always find you a spot or at least tell you how long the wait will be (they don’t take bookings).
In this area you should also visit the St. Germain Marché arcades and go up rue des Quatre Vents to the Gerard Mulot bakery which is fantastic for cakes and macarrons. You could also take some picnic fare up to the near-by Jardins de Luxembourg if the weather permits. Walking a little further through these back streets to the ODEON intersection is also worthwhile, especially for a meal at Le Comptoir: Yves Camdeborde’s new bistro just up from the Odeon cinemas at 9, carrefour de l’Odéon, 75006. Book as far in advance as possible (i.e. well before you leave Australia) as it is one of the most ‘branché’ and booked-out venues in Paris. Here is a review:
Rue de Buci (on the other side of the intersection) is also very cute (via rue de l’Ancienne Comdédie I think). The St. Germain pub does great, cheap cocktails during happy hour. On the rue de Buci side, walk the back streets (e.g. Rue Mazzarine) to the river so you can sight-see from the PONT DES ARTS (the famous walking bridge) – you’ll all love this bridge and if you’re energetic definitely cross the bridge and walk straight under the archways to check out the Cour Carée (square courtyard with fountain) at the back end of the Louvre – it is absolutely magical.
More about food:
-Try and avoid restaurants with English menus – usually inferior food at superior prices… Most waiters speak a little English anyway and you can always order the Plat du Jour.
- On Blvd de Montparnasse is LA COUPOLE – a very famous and traditional Parisian brasserie (take metro line 4 to Vavin and you’ll be right in front or get off the bus at the massive intersection before rue de Rennes called Place 18 Juin 1940). The food is good and reasonably priced – go there for the lovely ambiance and the degustation menu.
Further a field but a MUST DO:
If you’re game to check out the real and not so glamorous Paris, have a meal at L’AMI MARCEL. Take line 13 to ‘Plaisance’ look for the train bridge when you exit the metro system, walk under it and turn right into rue George Pitard/rue de Castagnary). Otherwise you can take line 6 or 12 to ‘Pasteur’ on Blvd Pasteur walk down Rue Falguière for a km and at the ‘6 ways’ intersection take rue Georges Pitard (between the pharmacy and ‘tabac’). The food here is a mélange of traditional and modern French. It is ALWAYS fantastic and you’ll encounter very few tourists. A three course meal for two with a bottle of wine and coffee will cost you about 100 euros.
Hope some of my suggestions help.
Wishing you safe and happy travels,
Benedicte Galichet